This invention relates in general to wheeled hampers (as "hamper" is defined below), and in particular to those having a dual purpose cover--for closing the hamper and for controlling the hamper during wheeling.
As used herein the term "hamper" refers to a bin, generally manageable by one person, with a cover for packing, storing, or transporting articles in general, for example: clothes and food hampers, household trash bins, toy bins, shopping baskets, and the like. The prior art shows wheeled hampers but none with such a dual purpose cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,397 by Conti describes basically a shopping bag wheeled support. The wheel support is like a dolly to which the base of the bag is attached. The mouth of the bag is closed by gathering it into a tight fold which is inserted into the slot of a clamping device. The clamping device also has a handle portion by which a person can pull the bag on its dolly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,283 by Redomon et al. describes a wheeled frame that can hold multiple hamper bags. It has a hinged cover or lid. The patent does not teach nor suggest that the lid be used as a handle for wheeling the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,213 by McDonald describes a wheeled, collapsible suitcase with a latchable top.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,708 by Samardzija et al. describes a hamper and a cart. The hamper is shown with a lid hinged to a box section but the lid is obviously not used as a handle for wheeling the hamper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,550 by Niemeyer describes another wheeled hamper with a side mounted handle for wheeling. This hamper can be hidden in a furniture enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 256,423 by Bacskay et al. shows a hamper with a hinged lid and back wheels. However, the lid is not used as a handle for wheeling the hamper. The lid is actually hinged to the side bars of a handle. The hamper would be unstable if one were to try and negotiate it on its wheels using the lid.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 229,663 by Morita is also a design patent showing a wheeled hamper with a hinged lid. However, there is a side handle for negotiating the hamper. Nothing indicates that the hamper can be negotiated by using the lid as a handle.
Advantages and attributes of this invention will be readily discernable upon a reading of the text hereinafter.